


What now?

by Larry289



Category: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-14 21:40:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 4,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14777717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larry289/pseuds/Larry289
Summary: What happens after Dante and Ari finally confess their feelings to each other?





	1. Kisses for Dante

Ari 

I couldn't believe I was ever ashamed of loving Dante Quintana. 

I squeezed Dante's hands. Dante looked at me and smiled. He looked beautiful. His eyes glowed in the moonlight. 

I decided it was a perfect time to take a picture of him. 

I remembered I brought my camera so I took it out and took a picture of him. 

Dante covers his face. "Hey!" He whined. "What I can't take a picture of you?" I asked sighing. "Ari!" Dante whined. I chuckled. The picture printed since it was an instant camera. 

The Polaroid got printed out and I smiled at Dante. 

I smiled and gave it to him. "There you still look gorgeous "I said smiling.   
Dante shook his head and leaned his head on my shoulder. "Take a picture of both of us!" Dante said smiling. 

I smiled and followed his instructions by snapping a Polaroid of the both of us.   
It printed and I gave it to Dante. "It's Yours" I said smiling. Dante took it and smiled. "Thank you!" He said smiling. "You're welcome" I said smiling and kissing his neck. 

Dante giggled. 

I loved his giggle. It was just...everything about it. 

I smiled and took his hands in mine again. 

"You're perfect Aristotle Mendoza" Dante said leaning on my shoulder. "Shut up" I said smiling. Dante looked at me smiling. "Wanna listen to sappy love songs while we sit here in your truck?" Dante asked me smiling. I chuckled. "Sounds perfect" I said smiling. 

Dante chuckled and jumped out of the back of the truck. 

He put in one of the most sentimental love songs ever.   
Total eclipse of the heart by Bonnie Tyler. 

I chuckled and Dante jumped back into the back of the truck with me.

"School Starts again this week" I said sighing. "Promise you won't be a total stranger?" Dante asked me. "I Promise" I said smiling at him. 

"Wanna dance?" Dante asked me. 

I chuckled. " do I have to?" I whined. "Yeah!!" Dante said pulling me to my feet. I chuckled and went out of the truck with him. 

We then started dancing to total eclipse of the heart. 

The night couldn't be more perfect.


	2. Chapter 2

Dante

I danced with Ari.

I couldn't believe that Aristotle Mendoza was actually in love with me, Dante Quintana.

We just danced. Ari's hands on my waist, my hands on Ari's shoulders.

Then my wishes came true. It started raining.

Ari chuckled.

"Your wishes came true, it's raining" Ari said smiling. I smiled and looked into his eyes. "A picture to remember the moment?" I asked. "Oh now you like pictures?" Ari asked me. "Yeah, why wouldn't I?" I asked. "Nothing I just thought you didn't like pictures!" Ari said smiling.

I took Ari's Polaroid camera and kissed him.

He kissed me back and I took a picture of us.

The Polaroid printed out and we smiled.

"This ones yours" I said smiling.

"No" Ari said putting it in my hands " it's yours"

I smiled and nodded. "It's mine" I said smiling.

"So uh...are you going back to Chicago?" Ari asked me. 

I wasn't sure. I wasn't totally sure. I mean we were just supposed to be staying in El Paso for the summer. 

"I don't know" I said honestly. 

"I'll still love you, even if you do" Ari said smiling at me. "I'll still love you too" I said smiling. 

Ari and I just smiled at each other for a minute. 

"I've never had a boyfriend before " Ari said chuckling. "Does this mean?..." I asked wondering if Aristotle Mendoza actually wanted to be my boyfriend. 

"Of course it means. I'm your boyfriend Dante Quintana " Ari said smiling. 

I smiled at him and wrapped my arms around him.

Then we continued dancing. 

Soon the song ended. 

"Come it's pouring, I'll take you back home!" Ari said going back inside the car. 

I went in beside him. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> None of the drawings or paintings belong to me, credit goes to the ones who drew them, or painted them.

Ari

Dante smiled me.

I then started the car and drove him back home.  
I parked the car in front of his house.

He kissed me and I kissed him back.  
After a minute we pulled away smiling.

"You should go in" I said smiling at Dante. "Do I have to?" Dante asked sighing. I chuckled and pressed my head against Dante's. " come on, I'll bring you inside " I said smiling at Dante. Dante smiled and took my hand.

I let go of his hand so we could get out, but took it again when we walked to his house.

When we entered we saw our parents on the couch sleeping.

My parents had gone to Dante's house. They were all leaning on each other.

Apparently we were sleeping over.

I chuckled and smiled at Dante.  
Dante smiled back at me.

We put a blanket over them.

Then Ari took me to his room.

His room was full of sketches.  
They were beautiful.

I remembered his sketch of my chair. "Can you show me your sketch of me now?" I asked smiling. Dante smiled but shook his head. "I don't know Ari."Dante said smiling and shaking his head. 

I took his face in my hands and walked towards the wall. I kissed him, more passionately than our other kisses.     

Then I pulled away.

Dante just stared at my lips. 

 " Please show me your sketch of me " I said frowning. 

Dante walked over to a shelf and took his sketchbook in his hands. 

He the smiled and gave it to me. 

I opened it. 

The sketch of me was not a sketch anymore. It had color and looked gorgeous. 

"Dante" I said sighing "It's beautiful ". 

Dante smiled at me. 

He then showed me the rest of his sketches. 

They were all gorgeous. 

While looking around we found an empty picture album. So we decided to put our pictures we took in it. It was going to be the Quintana  & Mendoza photo album as sentimental as that sounded. 

"Hey " Dante said smiling at me "do you want to go swimming tomorrow? It's the last day tomorrow, you know before school starts?" 

I nodded. 

"Swimming?" I said "with you? Definitely" 

Dante smiled.

Then we took our shirts and pants off and went to bed.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Dante

I woke up the next morning with Ari beside me.

So it wasn't a dream. It really happened. Aristotle Mendoza was my boyfriend.

He was still asleep.

I brushed his hair away from his face. Then I gave his lips a quick kiss. Ari smiled. Then he opened his eyes. "Morning sleepyhead " I said smiling. " Morning " Ari said in a hoarse voice. I chuckled. "Your voice!" I said Imitating his voice. "Stop it!" Ari said laughing. "Never" I said copying his voice again.

Ari jumped on top of me.

I thought he was going to kiss me but instead I got hit in the face with a pillow.

"Ari!" I groaned. Ari laughed. So I punished him by tickling him. "Dante!" Ari said laughing. I liked...no loved Ari's laugh. I ticked him some more which caused him to laugh even more.

"Boys!" A woman's voice shouted.

Ari and I stopped what we were doing and turned to see my mother standing at the door. "Oh...Sorry mom" I said a bit guilty.

"It's alright just don't make too much noise ok?" Mom asked smiling at the both of us.

We both nodded.

"So I'm guessing the both of you talked?" Mom asked with a knowing smile.

I looked at Ari who looked quite stressed and weirdly a bit angry.

"Yeah" I said smiling at Ari.

Mom smiled at us.

Then she nodded and left us alone again.

"Ari" I said.

Nothing, no answer, no reaction.

"Ari" I tried again.

Again nothing. I felt like I was talking to the wall.

"Ar..." I said but was interrupted by Ari abruptly getting up and wearing his clothes. "Ari why are you mad?" I asked afraid.

"I don't think I can do this Dante, you know be with a man " Ari said shaking his head "I don't think it's what my brother wanted for me".

He wore his pants and shoes and was about to leave.

"Your Brother isn't here! Your brother isn't the one who had to pick you up when you were in pieces! Your brother is a coward!" I called after him.

He stormed into my room and I was afraid. "Don't talk about my brother like that " Ari said angrily.

"Ari I'm sorry " I said frowning "Please don't do this". Then his face softened.

"I can't have him hate me Dante , it would kill me" Ari said frowning. "Oh so you're ok with me hating you?" I asked a bit angrily. "No, I wouldn't be able to bare the thought of that either to be honest, it's just I'm really scared Dante "Ari said looking at me and...crying. 

And that's when I saw him, like really saw him. I saw how vulnerable he actually was and who he was. 

I thought I couldn't love him even more but I did. 

"Everything is going to be ok" I said not really believing it myself. "Bullshit" Ari said laughing a bit as he wiped away a tear. "Ok maybe things are going to be really bad." I said sighing "like, really really bad. But I'm here with you. I love you. And if Julian ever even tries to lay a hand on you, I won't run. And we can take it slow ok? Day by day. We can start by going on a date." 

"A date?" Ari asked. I nodded. 

Ari went to me and fell on top of me. "Oh Dante" He sighed loudly.

"It's going to be ok" I said soothingly.

Then Ari got up.

"I'm not gay Dante " Ari said "you know I don't want to have sex with boys"

"So you want to have sex with only girls?" I asked him.

" no " Ari admitted "I don't want to have sex with boys or girls " 

I had never heard of that. 

Then I felt something hard on my leg. 

It was in Ari's crotch area. "Then what's that?" I asked Ari pointing at his boner. 

Ari got up and covered it. 

He was blushing. 

"Why would you even look at that?" Ari asked. I shrugged. 

"Ok I don't want to have sex with boys or girls, but I want to do it with you " Ari said smiling. 

"You do?" I asked smiling. 

Ari nodded shyly. 

" Is that weird?" Ari asked me. 

I pulled his face towards mine and kissed him. "It's not...weird" I said leaning  my forehead on his. 

Ari smiled at me and I at him. 


	5. Chapter 5

Ari

Dante gave me the picture of us kissing in the rain. 

After smiling at each other for a whole 2 minutes we decided to go downstairs. 

"Morning!" We called out. 

"Good Morning want some breakfast? Oh Ari your parents left in the middle of the night but they said you could stay over" Soledad said smiling at me and Dante.   
"Umm thanks but I should probably take legs for a run!" I said smiling at Soledad.   
"Alright, you'll come back though?" Soledad asked me.   
"You better. " Dante said smiling at me " we're supposed to go swimming today "

"And we are after I take Legs for a run!" I said giving Dante a hug before kissing his mother on the cheek and walking to the door. 

"Hey where's my kiss?" Dante asked causing me to blush. 

I turned around and gave Dante a quick kiss before leaving the Quintana house. 

When I got back to my house legs ran out the door and to my car. 

I was surprised to see another car next to my parking space. 

I wondered if my sisters were there. 

I went inside with legs and heard people talking. 

"When does Ari get back ?" A familiar voice asked. "You'll have to wait he spent the night with his boyfriend " Mom said. "Boyfriend?!?" The familiar voice asked shocked. 

Then there was silence. I walked over to them but they were so caught up in their conversation that they didn't notice me. 

"You don't hate him...you're not ashamed of him having a boyfriend are you? what you think about him means a lot to him, so if you disapproved he would probably break the Boys heart and end things with the guy!" This time it was dad's voice. 

There was no answer. 

"Bernardo" Mom said. 

"Bernardo?!?" I said shocked. Bernardo turned around and stared at me. 

"Ari" He said. 

Great mom now Bernardo hated me! He probably couldn't stand having a brother who liked boys, not a brother who liked boys but a brother who liked Dante Quintana a brother who was in love with Dante Quintana. 

"How could you?" I asked mom in disgust. 

I then called legs over and ran to my bedroom. 

I jumped onto my bed and stared at the celling. Then I took out the picture of me and Dante and smiled at it with tears in my eyes. 

Then there was a knock on the door and Bernardo went in. 

"Ari" He said quietly. 

He looked at the picture then at me. "Is that your boyfriend?" He asked. 

"What the fuck are you even doing here Bernardo?!?" I asked angrily. "Well I'm on Parole. And Ari don't use that word you know mom doesn't like it Ari" Bernardo said frowning. "What the fuck do you know you haven't been around for years!!!! And mom isn't in my room right now is she?!??!?" I said glaring at Bernardo. 

"Ari, please I just want to talk" he said. 

"I'm supposed to go swimming with Dante so if you mind" I said frowning. 

"I'll make it quick " Bernardo said. 

I nodded. 

Bernardo sat on my bed. 

"There's nothing you could do, nothing you could be, except be a murderer that would make me ashamed of you!" Bernardo said sighing. 

I looked at him 

He stretched his arms out for me to hug him. 

I was too mad at him. 

I pushed him and ran to my closet. I took out a few swimming trunks and ran out of my room. 

I ran to Dante's house.


	6. Chapter 6

Dante

I waited for Ari to come back.

At some point I wondered if he would ever come back at all.

But then I saw him storming to my house.

He looked mad. 

I rushed out to him and his face softened once he saw me. 

"What's wrong?" I asked him. 

"It's Bernardo" Ari said shaking his head "he's back, and he's not ashamed of me" 

"What's wrong then?" I asked him frowning "Are you ashamed of who you are? Of us?" 

"No!" Ari said looking at me and intertwining our hands "it's just I can't believe he can dare to be away for so long and just think it's fine to come back into my life like he was never away!" 

I sighed and smiled at Ari. 

Then Ari looked at me. "What?" He asked me frowning. "I bet he's just trying to get to know you again" I said taking his hands in mine. 

Ari sighed and looked at me. 

"You think?" Ari asked me. I nodded. Ari looked around and let go of my hand.

"do you want to go and meet my brother I guess?" Ari  asked me smiling. 

I nodded. 

Ari and I walked back to his house. 

We walked into his house. 

And suddenly music started playing. 

I looked around and saw loads of people scream surprise. 

Ari stared right at his brother who held up a sign saying "My brother is gay and it's ok!" 

Ari shook his head and ran up to his bedroom leaving me alone with the crowd.

 


	7. Chapter 7

Ari 

I sat on my bed and cried. 

I didn't even know why I was crying. 

Was I gay? And if I was why was I so ashamed of myself being gay? 

I tried thinking about who I wanted to have sex with, boys or girls. But the only person I could even think of doing it with was Dante. 

I heard a knock on my bedroom door. 

"Come in!" I shouted. 

Both Bernardo and Dante came in. 

"Oh Ari what's wrong?" Dante asked me. "It's fucking nothing!" I said wiping away my tears.   
Bernardo walked over to me and kneeled beside me. 

"I'm back in your life now ok, and I just want to get to know my little brother again " Bernardo said frowning at me. 

Then I just forgot everything he did wrong and wrapped my arms around him.   
He wrapped his arms around me. 

"I'm...gay... I guess " I said still unsure. 

Bernardo cheered and Dante smiled at me. 

"Let's go and enjoy your Party then!" Bernardo said smiling at me. 

The three of us went to the living room and kitchen area where the party was still loud and fun. 

Dante took my hand and pulled me to my living room which had been turned into a dancefloor. 

I held him by the waist and just danced. 

Everything was perfect until we heard sirens and soon after a banging on the door. 

Everyone fell silent. 

I slowly walked to the door and opened it.   
A police officer stood in front of my door 

"The party yours?" The officer asked. 

I nodded. 

He looked around and caught sight of a gay flag. 

"This a gay sex Party?" He asked. "No why would you even think that?!?!?" I asked raising my voice a little. "Are You trying to argue with me little man?" The officer asked. "It's not right! It's not a sex party!!!!! It's just a party And I happen to be...gay!" I said now screaming.   
"But there are a bunch of homosexuals in there who have sex with men?" The officer asked. "I don't know! There are some women too!" I said annoyed. 

Dante ran next to me. 

"I'm sorry but what is this?" Dante asked the police officer. "This your boyfriend?" The officer asked me. "Don't even think of laying a hand on him, we've done nothing wrong " I said now really annoyed. 

I guess that caused the police officer to snap because, he pushed me to the wall and put me in handcuffs. "Angel Aristotle Mendoza, you are arrested for sodomy in other words same sex intercourse" The police officer said. "But we haven't even!" I said angrily. "Anything you say can and will be used against you in court " the officer said. 

"Court?!?" I screamed. 

The police officer slowly dragged me away. 

I looked to Dante who stared at me in tears. 

And then to Bernardo who stared at me from my room. 

"I love you " I mouthed to both of them. 

"I love you too!" Dante screamed. 

"Take care of mom" I mouthed to Bernardo. 

Then they shoved me into a police car and drove me away.


	8. Chapter 8

Ari sat in his jail cell wondering if the police would really take this to court.

Ari was scared and worried.

Worried his parents would hate him. Worried Dante would hate him.

He felt something in his pocket and realized it was the Polaroid of him and Dante.

He kissed it.

Ari cried that night and was surprised that he even fell asleep.

But he awoke to feeling something wet on the floor in front of him.

He realized it was Spit.

He opened his eyes and saw a group of people in front of his cell. "Fagott" they said. He gave them the finger as they walked away.

Behind them he saw his parents and Dante.

He wiped the spit off his face and ran closer to them.

He banged against the bars. "Mom! Dante! Dad!" He said waving to them.

Mom saw him and put her hands over her mouth.

Dad shook his head in disappointment. "They hate me" Ari thought to himself "now they really really hate me"

They went to the information stand for a few minutes and appeared in front of his cell a few minutes later.

"Ari" his mom said quietly.

Ari rushed to his parents and Dante.

"What happened?" his mom asked with a hand on her forehead.

"We had a party, well Bernardo had a party for me saying it was ok to be gay, but the police didn't like that mom." He said annoyed at the police officer and worried Dante,and his parents hated him now.

" oh mi angelito" his mom said crying.

"Don't cry mom, please don't cry!" Ari said with tears in his eyes.

He hated jail.


	9. Chapter 9

Ari 

Mom looked at me for a moment then stopped crying. 

"The world is cruel Ari" Mom said sighing. 

I looked to Dante who looked sad, he looked like he felt guilty, he looked like he wanted to take my place in jail. 

"Hey" I said sighing "It's going to be ok!" 

Dante looked at me and tried to smile. "Yeah" he said smiling the saddest smile ever. 

Then I looked to dad. 

He put his arm around mom's waist. "Come on lili I think we should give Ari and Dante a moment " dad told her. Mom blew me a kiss, then left with dad. 

Then I looked at Dante. 

"You know Ari I think we should break up " Dante said sighing. "What?!?" I asked angrily "you were the one that told me we could get through this together, you were the one Dante Quintana, you are the one."

Dante looked at me sadly. 

" I know, I'm sorry but I think I was wrong, I don't know Ari, the universe doesn't seem to want us together " Dante said sighing. 

"So fuck the universe!" I said looking into his eyes. 

He laughed at me cause it was such a me thing to say. An Ari thing. 

He shook his head. 

"I don't know Ari" he said sad again "it's just so unfair " 

I took his hand secretly. "I know" I said giving his hand a kiss "we'll fight this, You fight with words, and I fight with fists"

Dante chuckled and wiped away a tear. 

"Together?" He asked me. "Together " I said smiling. 

Then Dante let go of my hand. "Should I call in your parents?" Dante asked me. 

I nodded. 

But then the police officer came with keys and opened the cell. 

"You're free to leave" The police officer said not really making direct eye contact with me. 

"What?" I asked confused. "Your brother Bernardo told us he was the one who threw the sex party" the police officer said gesturing for me to go away. 

I just stood there. 

"Will you need me to forcefully bring you out of this cell?" The officer asked me. 

"No need" Dante said taking my hand and dragging me out of the cell. 

Bernardo?

What the heck did he do?


	10. Chapter 10

Dante

what the police did to us was bad.  
It was really sweet of bernardo to do what he did, but it was really bad.

But now I had to fight.

I thought I was ok with hiding but having Ari but I didn't want that.

I wanted to be treated like a person.

"Ari" I said dragging Ari to the parking. "Dante we have to fight " Ari said frowning "we. You, me we have to be treated as equals no,matter who we love or want to have sex with!" 

He was really mad. 

The maddest I've ever been was before he confessed his love to me, but this was the maddest I had seen him. 

"You're really mad!" I said looking at him. "Well yeah!" Ari said looking at me. 

I smiled at him and he smiled back. 

Once His parents saw us they walked over to us and hugged us. 

"Are you ok?" His mother asked. " How did you get out?" 

"I'm fine mom!" Ari said frowning. "I'm glad" she said smiling. Then Ari shook his head "I'm not ok mom. I didn't do anything wrong, I hate them for making me ashamed of loving Dante again " Ari said looking at me. "And mom, Bernardo turned himself in" 

His mom started crying and Ari wrapped his arms around her. 

"Don't cry mom, it's going to be ok, everything is going to be ok" Ari said brushing her hair like I once did with him. 

We walked over to his parents  car. 

"Come on Dante we'll take you back home " Ari's father said smiling. 

"Mom, dad can Dante and I  go somewhere together...alone actually ?" Ari asked.                    Ari's mom looked over to her husband and nodded. "Ok " his father said. "Thanks dad" Ari said giving his father a hug.

They gave me a hug before Ari took my hand and started walking out of the police station with me. 

"Where are we going?" I asked Ari. "Don't know we're just taking a walk " Ari said. I nodded. 

a tthrough a few streets and heard "freedom" by boy George  play. 

Ari decided he was interested and walked towards the music. 

We stopped in front of some kind of house. 

On a glass window there was a poster which said "Hatch Youth". 

"Should we go in ?" I asked Ari. 

Ari nodded. 

We went in and everyone inside fell silent. 

I looked around the room. 

Everything was rainbow and colorful. 

There were posters that said "fight for gay rights" and posters that said "we exist too" 

Ari looked at me and smiled. 

"We have guests!" A man in a tie-dye T-shirt said smiling " introduce yourselves!" 

We took a seat in the circle they had formed. Everyone looked at us.

"I'm Dante, and I'm gay" I said smiling. 

They all nodded and smiled. 

"I'm Ari" Ari said shrugging. "Are You gay Ari?" The guy in tie-dye asked. "I don't know. I mean I like kissing boys and girls, but I don't want to have sex with them, I don't get attracted to them until I know them like personally" Ari said frowning. 

They all looked at each other and nodded. 

"I think you're what we call, Semi Sexual" The guy in the tie-dye said. 

Ari looked at him. "Semi sexual?" Ari asked. "Yeah meaning you can only form a sexual attraction to someone when you know them well enough " The guy said smiling. 

"Semi sexual huh?" Ari said smiling. 

He looked happy. 

"Does my sexuality have a flag like the gay flag?" Ari asked. 

"Actually no it doesn't, but a suggestion, how would feel about making one?" The guy in tie-dye asked Ari. 

Ari nodded. "I'd like that" Ari said smiling. 

 


End file.
